Shoe lengthening device



june 3Q, D KQRYTAR l 2,046,170

SHOE LENGT-HENING DEVICE Filed Nov. 24, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheerl 1 jneo,1936. D. KORYTAR 2,046,170

` SHOE LENGTHENING DEVICE Filed NOV. 24, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 HMI HPatented June 30, 1936 @ETE STATES PATENT OFFICE Claims.

rIhe invention relates to a novel and improved device for stretchingshoes. or the like, and more particularly to a device adapted forstretching shoes lengthwise, whereby the length of the same may beincreased.

Devices heretofore commonly employed for this purpose include eXpansiblemeans disposed within the shoe, which means were then acted upon tostretch the shoe, said means acting against the 1o forward end of theshoe and the heel portion thereof. The result of this form of stretchingwas not a lengthening of the shoe, but a stretching of the side upperedges thereof causing in many instances a breaking along said edges withi5 resultant bulging at the side edges when the shoe is again placed onthe foot of the wearer.

It is an object of this invention to overcome the above diiculties bythe provision of a device particularly adapted for lengthening shoes,the

stretching operation of which will be accomplished without the exertionof any pressure against the heel portion of the shoe.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the characterdescribed adapted for disposition in the forward end of a shoe forstretching the same lengthwise, including a yoke member disposed on theouter forward end of the shoe and against which the reaction of thestretching operation takes place.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the characterdescribed including an adjustable member disposed in the forward end ofthe shoe, and means for forcing said adjustable member against saidforward end of the shoe and a yoke disposed on the outer forward end ofthe shoe cooperating with said rst mentioned member for permitting alengthening of the shoe without the exertion of pressure on the rearportion of said shoe.

A further object of this invention is to provide a device of thecharacter described particularly adapted for lengthening shoes which maybe simple in construction, assembly and operation, and which may beproduced along lines convenient for cheap manufacture, but which will atthe same time be highly efficient for carrying out the purposes forwhich it is designed.

With the foregoing and other objects in View, which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the

invention consists in certain novel features of construction,arrangement and combinationv of parts, hereinafter more fully described,illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed outin the appended claims, it

being understood that various changes in the form, proportion, size andminor details of the structure may be made without departing from thespirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention,

For the purpose of facilitating an understand- 5 ing of my invention, Ihave illustrated in the accompanying drawings a preferred embodimentthereof, from an inspection of which when considered in connection withthe following description, my invention, its mode of construction, as-10 sembly and operation, and many of its advantages should be readilyunderstood and appreciated.

Referring to the drawings in which the same characters of reference areemployed to indicate 15 corresponding or similar parts throughout theseveral gures of the drawings:

Figure l is a View in perspective of a device embodying my invention,the same being shown disposed in operative position within a shoe; 20

Fig. 2 is a side elevational View of the same removed from the shoe;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view through the same takensubstantially on line 3 3 of Fig. 4; 25

Fig. 4 is a front elevational view of the same;

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional View taken substantially on line 5 5 ofFig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 6 6 of Fig. 3;

Fig. '7 is a sectional View taken substantially on line 1 1 of Fig. 3;and

Fig. 8 is a sectional View taken on line 8 8 of Fig. 3.

Stat/ed generally, the invention comprises a 35 device which isparticularly adapted for stretching the forward portions of shoes or thelike without stretching the side edges thereof, this being accomplishedby the elimination of any pressure during the str-etching operation onthe heel por- 40V tion of the shoe. In the embodiments illustrated, theinvention includes a member l0 made of suitable metal, said member beingprovided with a sole portion Il which is shaped substantially in theform to adapt it for disposition on the inner 45 face of the sole of ashoe, said member I0 being provided with a rearwardly inclined portionl2. The side portions of said member l0 are bent upwardly, as shown atI3, and the free edges of said upwardly extending portions are then bent50 inwardly as shown at I4 for a purpose to be presently more fullydescribed. Similarly the inclined portion l2 has the side edges thereofbent upwardly and then inwardly to form a socket I5 for a purpose to bepresently more fully described. 55

swf

` faceV of which is formed an elongated slot 2D, said slot being open atits free end and is in communication'with a guide recess 2l Yprovided inthe eX-Y tension I9. Y

TheV rearwardly extending socket I5 of the member lil is adapted forreceiving therein `an ex-` tension 22 of a substantially verticallydisposed yoke member 23, said member being shaped substantially as shownVin the drawings and is providedY with the top wall 24 through which isthreaded a screw member 25, on the lower Yend of which is mounted themember 25, said member being adapted for disposition within the recessor guide 2E, as shown Fig. 6, with the body of the screw member25Yetending through the slot 20. The member 26 is freely rotatable on areduced portion on the lower edge of the screw member 25 to permit freerotation of the screw 25, which rotation wiliimpart the Ydesiredmovement to the member 6 for lowering or raising the same aboutY itspivots |l. As shown in Fig. 6, the member 26 wili slide within its guideslot 2l Vduring the last mentioned operation.

V suitable` handle 2'! is provided at the upper portion of the screw 25for facilitating in the Vactuating of the sam-e.; Byreason of the meansjust described the member I6 may be adjusted within the shoe to thedesired position' relative Yto the member it@ Pivotally mounted betweenthe side walls of the member 23 adjacent-the lower portion thereof, is aV,block member 28, said block member being pivotally secured to saidside walls of the member 23 by means of therivets 29, and said blockmember is provided with a threaded opening extendingV at an inclinedYangle therethrough,

Ywithin whichY opening is received in threaded en- Y gagement the screwmember 3B, said screw member extending through an enlarged opening 3| inthe rear wall of the member23 and having its lower portion providedwithY a semi-cylindrical head 32 rigidly secured thereto for a purposeto be Vpresently more fully described. 'Ihe upper free end of the screwmember 3i! is provided with a screw handle 33 for facilitating theactuation forth movement relative to the forward edges of 65A themembersID and i6; Adjacent the rear portion ofthe Ymember 34 is provided asemi-cylindrical'recess 36 within which is adapted to be re vided with ascrew threaded studV 31 upon which is threaded a toe piece 38 made ofsuitabie ma-A terial, which toe pieces may be madeeof various sizes anddetachably secured to the member 34 in the manner illustrated.

By reason ofrthe'mechanism sc far described, 5

it will be readily apparent that the member I3 Ymay be adjusted by theactuation of the screw member 25 to the desired position relative to themember lil, and that the actuation of the memthe screw member 30 in thedesired rotation. This mechanismrmay be vdisposed within the forwardportion of a shoe and the members 25 and 3D actuated to move the same inproper position within operation. V

' The following mechanism is provided for taking up therearwardrpressure exerted on the member 34 by means of the screw 30.This mechanism includes a cross piece .3S rigidly secured to the rearwall of the member 23 at a point immediately above the screw member 3S.VY Y Y A suitable yokeV 43 of substantially inverted U-shaped formationis provided, the lowermost portions of saidV arms of the yoke 4@ being gthreaded as shown at 4|, said portions being adapted for receivingYtherein a cross piate 42, the major portion of which is covered with asuitable covering 43 of rubber or leather. The cross Vber 34 may beaccomplished by the rotation of 10 Ythe shoe prior to starting theactual lengthening 15 Y plate is secured in place on the yokemem-ber4r30 by means of the wing nuts 44 threaded on the threadedportions 4l' of the legs of the yoke 40.

Rigidly secured to the yoke are the rearwardly extending Yside arms 45to the forwardV ends of which are-pivotally secured, as shown'at 35 Vityof notches 48, which'notches are adapted to engage the crossA bar 39shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of they drawings. By Yproviding a plurality of 4said notches 48 the position of the yoke 40 with reference to themember23 may be readily adjusted. A suitable flexible covering 49 mayalso be provided for the top portion ofthe yoke 40. to prevent marringor injury to` the shoe when theV 4 device is in operative positionthereon.

In operation, the device with theyoke 40 removed therefrom is disposedwithin the shoe to be operated upon, a toe pieceY 38 ofV suitable sizehaving rst been selected and attached to the 5 member 34. The'screwmember 25 is then actuatedto bring the vamp piece or memberY I6 intoproper position with reference to the vamp of the shoe.

The yoke 40 is then placed in position on the 5 outer portion of theshoe, a"s vshown in Fig. l, and the wing nuts 44 actuated to bring thecrc-ss piece -i3 to bea-r against the sole portionV of theshoe. The arms4l 'are then swung into engagement with the cross bar 39, one of saidnotches 48 on the underside of said arms 47 engaging said cross bar. ThelengtheningV operation may now be accomplished byaotuating the screwmember-30 by means of the'handle 33, which actuation will portion of theshoe, the rear pressure being taken up by the yoke 40 through the arms41 and cross. bar 39. It will be noted that the yoke will bear againstthe vamp portion i5 of the device, there-` by clearly eliminating anystretching or the exertion ofpressure on the side edges of the shoefFrom Ythe above it should be readily apparent' that I have provided adevice which will be lhighly efficient for lengthening a shoe while atthe same time preventing stretching or injury to the 75 Y force the toepiece 38 forwardly into the forwardV G5 side edges thereof. In assembledposition, the device will conform to the inner configuration of the vampportion of thev shoe with the toe section disposed in position forlongitudinal movement only, By providing Vthe guide anges I4 upon whichthe toe section is slidably mounted, it will be noted that the said toesection will move in a substantially horizontal plane when urgedforwardly bythe actuation ofthe screw member 30.

It will also be noted that by reason of the adjustable engagement of thetoe piece 38 with the sectional member 34, toe pieces of varying sizesmay bey employed. The adjustability of the vamp portion Ha' will-permitthe use of the device on shoesof varying sizes and varying styles.Similarly the provision of the plurality of notches on the arms 41 willenable the device to be adjusted to accommodate it for use upon shoes ofvarious sizes and lengths.

It is believed that my invention, Aits mode of construction, assemblyand operation, and many of its advantages should be readily understoodfrom the foregoing without further description, and should also bemanifest that while a preferred embodiment of the invention has beenshown and described for illustrative purposes, the structural detailsare, nevertheless, capable of wide variation within the purview of myinvention as defined in the appended claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United Statesis:

l. A device ofthe character described comprising a pair of pivotallysecured members adapted to conform to the interior configuration of thevamp portion of a shoe, a toe section slidably mounted within theforward portion of said members, an upright associated with one of saidmembers, a nut carried by said upright, an adjusting screw threaded insaid nut, the forward end of said screw being adapted for engagementwith the toe section for forcing the latter forwardly, a yoke adaptedfor disposition around the outside of the shoe at the vamp portionthereof, rearwardly extending arms pivotally secured to said yoke, andmeans carried by said upright for engagement with said arms.

2. A device of the character described comprising a member adapted fordisposition along the sole portion of the vamp of a shoe, a secondmember pivotally secured thereto at its forward end, said two membersbeing adapted to conform to the interior configuration of the vampportion of a shoe, a toe section slidably connected within said firstmentioned member, said toe section having a recess provided with asemi-cylindrical bearing surface opening through its rear face, anupright associated with said first mentioned member and having a screwthreaded through the top Wall'thereof for slidable engagement with saidsecond member, whereby the elevation of said second member may beadjusted, a nut secured within said upright, an adjusting screw threadedin said nut with the forward end of said screw having a semi-cylindricalhead adapted for disposition within the recess in said toe section,whereby the actuation of said screw will force said toe sectionforwardly, a yoke mounted on the outside of said shoe adjacent the Vampportion thereof having rearwardly extending arms pivotally securedthereto, and means provided on said upright for engagement with saidarms.

3. A device of the character described comprising a pair of memberspivotally secured at their forward ends and being adapted to conform tothe interior configuration of the vamp portion of a shoe, a toe sectionslidably mounted within the forward portion of said members, saidf toesection being capable of longitudinal movement only, an uprightconnected to one of said members adjacent the rear portion thereof, anut connected within said upright, a screw threaded in said nut andhaving its forward end in. engagement with the toe section for. forcingthe latter forwardly, and a yoke member disposed around the outside ofthe shoe having rearwardly extending arms pivotally secured thereto inengagement with saidV upright.

'LA device of the character described comprising a'pair of memberspivotally secured at the forward ends adapted to conform to the interiorconfiguration of the vamp portion of a shoe, a toe section slidablymounted in the forward portion of said members, means for adjusting saidmembers relative to each other, an upright associated with one of saidmembers adjacent the rear portion thereof, a nut carried by saidupright, a screw member threaded in said nut and disposed in positionfor engaging the rear face of said toe section for forcing the latterforwardly, a yoke surrounding the outside of the shoe adjacent the vampportion thereof having rearwardly extending arms pivotally securedthereto, the free ends of which are adapted for detachable engagementwith a fixed portion on said upright.

5. A device of the character described comprising a pair of memberspivotally secured at the forward ends adapted to conform to the interiorconfiguration of the vamp portion of a shoe, a toe section associatedwith the forward portion of said members and being arranged forlongitudinal movement relative thereto, an upright connected with one ofsaid members adjacent the rear portion thereof, a nut fixedly securedwithin said upright, a screw threaded on said nut and adapted forengaging the rear face of said toe section for forcing the latterforwardly, a second screw threaded within said upright and connectedwith one of said first mentioned members for adjusting the elevationthereof relative to the other of said members, a yoke disposed aroundthe outside of the shoe adjacent the vamp portion thereof havingrearwardly extending arms pivotally secured thereto, the free ends ofwhich are detachably connected with a fixed portion of said upright, andmeans for detachably securing said yoke in operative position on theshoe.

6. A shoe lengthening device comprising cooperating members adapted whenin operative position within a shoe to conform to the interiorconfiguration of the vamp portion of the shoe,

said members including a longitudinal movable toe section, means forapplying pressure to said toe section for forcing the same forwardly,and means disposed on the outside of the shoe connected with saidmembers adapted for taking up the reaction of the pressure applied tothe toe section during the lengthening operation, said means including ayoke and a pair of arms extending rearwardly from said yoke andconnecting same with said members.

7. A shoe lengthening device comprising a pair of adjustableco-operating members adapted for disposition within the vamp portion ofa shoe and to be adjusted to conform to the interior configuration ofthe vamp portion of a shoe, a toe section carried by said members andlongitudinally movable relative thereto, means for applying pressure tosaid toe section for forcing the same forwardly, and means disposed onthe outside of the shoe and connected with said members adapt- 75vinterior configuration of said vamp portion,` a toe section associatedwith said members and'adlapted for longitudinalY movement, Ymeansassociated with said members for applying pressure to said toe sectionfor forcing the same forwardly, and.

means disposed on the outsideof said shoe and Y connected with. saidmembers adapted for taking up the reaction of the pressure applied tothe toe section during the Astretching operation, Vsaid means includinga yoke, and a pair of arms pivotally secured to said yoke and extendingrear` wardly therefrom,k the free ends of said arms be-Y o ing adaptedfor adjustable connection with said members. a Y

9. Agshoe lengthening devicecomprising a pair of members pivotallysecured at their forward ends and adapted'when disposed in the vampportion of a shoe to be adjusted to conform to the interiorconfiguration of said vamp portion, a toe section associated with saidmembers and adapted for longitudinal movement, means associated withsaid members for applying pressure to said toe section for forcing tiresame rcrwardiy; and means disposed on the outside of said shoe andyconnected Ywith said members adapted for taking upthe reaction of thepressure applied to the toe section during the stretching operation',said last men-VY 5 tioned means including an adjustable yoke re-Vmovably arranged onthe voutside of the shoe,

and having a pair of arms extending Yrearwardly Y therefrom, said Yarmsbeing'pivotaliy secured t0 v said yokey and the free ends thereof beingadapted 10 j for adjustable connection with said members. i

V10. A shoe lengthening device comprising a pair Y of members pivotallysecured at their forward ends and'adapted when disposed in the vamp porstion'of a shoe to be adjusted-to conform to the 15' interiorconfiguration of said vampportion, a toe section'associated'with saidmembers and'adapted for longitudinal Y movement, means associated withsaid members for applying pressure to said toe section for forcing thesame forwardly, and 205 means disposed on the outsideof said shoe andconnected with said members adapted for taking up the reaction of thepressure applied to the toe section during the stretching operation,said last mentioned means including an adjustable yoke 25 removablyarranged on theoutside of the shoe,

the connection therefor toY said members being adjustable and includinga pair of rearwardly' extending pivotally secured arms having aplurality of notches provided on'the bottom edges thereof. 30 L DoMINIcKKORYTAR.

